Informational: Federal Court arraignments

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on June 13 was:

Donna Rae Lamere, 66, of Great Falls, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lamere faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Lamere was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Russell Country Drug Task Force and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-44.

Jerry Scot Saunders, 34, of Great Falls, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Saunders faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the crime of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Saunders was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-46.

Mikayla Elizabeth Magnussen, 23, of Havre, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Magnussen faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Magnussen was detained pending further proceedings. The Tri-Agency Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-51.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 15 was:

Nancy Michelle Hartscok, 36, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hartscok faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Hartscok was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-69.

Appearing for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint on June 14 was:

Ryan William Newhart, 27, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Newhart faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Newhart was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Service and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-107.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on June 15 was:

Kyle Kenneth Smith, 32, of Kalispell, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearms. If convicted of the most serious crime, Smith faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Smith was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-5.

Amber Marie Cody, 40, of Butte, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cody faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Cody was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-08.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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